The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-11-16
IN THE APPENNlNES.
Interesting Memories of Delightful Jour-
ney to Italy.

1t was ut the inn at Poggibonsi that
was offered one day for dinner adish
of swallows. Irejected it with indig"
nation, which priest, who was pres
emit, thought very unaecountable, as he
said they were very good to eat. l did
not dispute this, but suggested that 1t
would fifty fall in the line Of his cler-
ical duties TO preach against the whole
sale massacre OF small birds for culina-
ry purposes, which is besetting sin
Of the Italians.
They are fiIy punished by being
food for mosquitoes themselves. The
insects avenge the birds. In Paris the
air is singularly free from insects, be-
cause that purgatory OF man is the
paradise Of birds, the great asylum
where that prosecuted race finds refuge
from the mcrciless guns and traps OF
peasantry. In Italy all the inhahit-
ants who can do so leave the plains for
the mountains in summer, chiefly on
account of the discomfort of the mos
uuitoes But even in the mountains,
if the absence of mosquitoes make the
oichts pleasant, the days are made
miserable by swarms of flies, and the
cattle chiefly suffer, as to secure them
from flies they are shut mp In dark
stables instead of being left in open
fields.
But there is little chance of the peo-
pie learning better as long as the very
priest thinks swallows good to eat and
ignores the first principles OF natural
history. In the summer of 1886 we
took refuge from the mosquitoes in n
hamlet near the central chain of the
Apennines, where the scenery was
singularly beautiful, but the accom-
mediation left much to be desired. 1t
is about thirty miles from Florence
aud five miles from the nearest little
town where provisions can be pro-
cured.
Starting from Florence. the way lies
by the post road down the left bank OF
the Arno as far as Pontassieve, and
thence, instead of turning to tho right
toward Vallambrosa, follows up tho
stream of the Sieve to Dchomano and
st. Godcnio. Seven miles up hill,
through chestnut woods, lead to the
church and scattered hamlet of Cas-
tagno which is place which Horace
would have chosen. for its abundant
Made and innumerablc springs, to lie
on banks all day and write lyric poe
try. The ancients had such exquisite
words in which to express the charms
of nature that landscape painting in
colors does not seem to have occurred
TO them rs a purpose or 4 pastimc,
when they got into beautiful scenery,
though their descriptions show that
they thoroughly appreciated it. 1t is
from the classic Greek and Roman
that conception of the idyllic
comes. 1t is not all grand or
beautiful scenery that is idyllic.
The sublimitics Of high Alps,
sheer rocks, the illimitablc sea, do not
belong to it, nor any elements but
those that suggest repose and content.
Wales is idyllic rather than Switzer-
land, and in Switzerland idyllic scenes
are most abundant in the Canton of
Appenzell, where the Sentes stands
alone as suggestion of high Alps.
ldyllc scenery may be compared to
middlc-class society, with the maximum
of education aud refinement super
added to modcsty of fortune. 1t is
the very home of the landscape paint
er, always suggesting to him that he
had better remain where he is than go
farther and fare worse. And it suits
rs well the student in whom the spir-
it Of adventure is dead or dormant.
The occupations of the inhabitants arc
pastoral rather than agricultural, and
one of its main conditions il freedom
from fences and general accessibility.
One of the most striking natural
features of Castagno is the mountain
architecture. The main chain and
spurs of the Apennines rs seen thence,
are composed of horizontal layers OF
sandstone, very fossiliferous in vege.
table remains, and subject to disinte-
grafton on large scale. The valleys
are covered with blocks and powders.
and the stream beds, torrents in win.
ter, arc choked with them The prin.
cipal waterfalls. Of which there are
many, slip down flights of steps. One
of these, the object of many excur
sions. is reached by ascending the cres
of the Apennines, to q spot where
walls have been bnilt to protect The
postroad which crosses from Florence
to Rimini from the high winds. thence
called Muraglione; and then following
the crest for few miles and decend
ing in most scqucstered valley OF
the Rpmagna side of the chain. 1t i;
said so have furnished hints to one o.
Dante's descriptions. - Lewis S.
WeathersbH IN San Francisco Chro's.
icie